Fury Bound
by LucariaAura
Summary: This is the story of Lucaria, a Soul Binder whose village and life was destroyed by Drago's violence. She and her dragon, Comet, team up with Valka and Hiccup in an attempt at revenge against Drago for killing her people and exterminating the rarest dragon species of all. (Based on How to Train Your Dragon 2) ***WARNING! CONTAINS SPOILERS!***
1. Chapter 1

The flames. The heat. All I remember was the blistering, scorching pain burning through my skin, down my throat, turning my insides into liquid fire. I could not breath. Could not see. The only smell was the putrid stench of smoke and...flesh. Singed flesh. I could feel the hard wooden floor below me, ablaze with the fury of Thor himself.

I tripped, fell, heard the blood-curdling screams of my kin and the terrible cries of the dragons. The dragons...oh why did it have to be dragons?

A loud crack, like a tree branch snapping, like a lightning bolt freed from the hands of Thor, and my world went dark. Blank. Quiet. Empty.

My eyes fluttered open as I my consciousness was freed from the darkened void near death. I shielded my face from the white light flooding my unaccustomed eyes. A small noise came from beside me, a gentle purr, and a small nudge to the shoulder. I blinked, wondering if I was dead or alive. Mustering all my strength, I rolled over to my side, propping my limp body up on my elbow. Slowly, I pushed myself up into a sitting position, wondering from where this strength was emanating. It was then that I noticed the dark shape beside me, peering at me expectantly, almost worriedly. Clutching my ringing head in one of my hands, I tried to remember what had happened. To my despair, my mind was too stunned to recall much, so I returned my attention to the creature beside me.

Nudging my shoulder again, it licked the side of my cheek gently, turning it's head to the side, studying my face. The bright green eyes stared back at me, intently locked onto my face. Carefully, I raised a hand towards it, slowly holding it up in front of it's snout. Shaking it's head, it looked down at my hand, then back at me, before nuzzling my hand with a small snort.

A shudder ran down my spine as my memory began to return, timidly, as an unwary deer that has just caught the scent of danger. I shivered, noticing that I was draped in no more than a torn leather dress, blackened and burned and reeking of dragon smoke. Snowflakes swirled in the air around me, carried by a subtle breeze that knew no path. The iceberg below me sent a chill running up my entire body. The creature noticed my plight and curled around me, surrounding me in a blanket or warmth, sheltering me from the rising blizzard abound. I felt safe there, in the arms of a creature of whom I knew not, or remembered not, and found peace in the rhythmic rise and fall of the creature's massive chest.

Whether from fatigue, or comfort, my eyes fell closed and I fell into a fitful sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

When I woke up, drenched in a cold sweat, I noticed I was not on the snow-covered iceberg. I was in a cavern, soft grass under my feet, geometric rock patterns lined the walls,and a great icy ceiling rose high above me. Baby dragons flitted here and there, pausing only to glance at me before returning to their play. Glancing around, I noticed thousands of dragons that perched on outcrops of rock and grassy platforms. Many more flew about under the icy dome.

I picked out several species I knew, along with several others that were new and foreign to me. A faint thought pricked the back of my mind, and I realized my memory had returned. Every detail of that horrible night flooded back to me, and I sat there, face in my arms, knees tucked to my chest, crying at the thought of my lost kin and extermination of one of the rarest species of all dragonkind.

I heard a shuffle behind me, and I whirled around, prepared to fight. My nerves were still frayed in fear from the attack last night. I was staring into the eyes of a dragon, the rich golden orbs shifting, observing my face, evaluatuing threat. A low growl rumbled in it's throat, pupils narrowing. I backed away slowly, my foot landing dangerously close to the edge of the cliff face. Pebbles tumbled down the cliff. I turned back to face the dragon, now looking down upon me with fury in it's eyes. A black blur landed between us, snarling and growling, wings flared up protectively in front of me. The great orange dragon paused, confused. I was finally able to see the creature whom had accompanied me since last night.

Comet. That was her name. Comet, my dragon. She was protecting me.

The orange dragon recovered from its surprise, and advanced once again. Comet roared, planting her feet on the ground, eyes challenging. A masked figure appeared from behind the orange dragon, holding a hand up. Peering from the slits in the mask, the figure reached a hand toward Comet, who snarled and backed even closer towards me. The figure halted, and rose up. They pulled their hand back, straightening.

I laid a hand on Comet's back, stroking behind her neck. She glanced back at me, a small, affectionate rumble coming from deep in her throat. I stepped in front of her, facing down the masked figure. I knew it couldn't be Drago, but if this were a dragon trapper...

"Who are you?" I gulped, trying to steady my shaking hands. "You aren't taking Comet. You'll have to go through me first."

The figure's reaction startled me. Instead of lunging at me, they laughed. The figure laughed, placing a hand over their stomach. They removed the helmet, and the face of a woman gazed back at me.

"I'm not here to steal your dragon. In fact, I'm quite fascinated. I've never seen a Night Fury before. Are they not the rarest species of all?" She approached Comet, running a hand over her snout and stroking under her chin. Comet cooed happily and nudged the woman's open hands. I opened my mouth to speak, but felt only tears well up in my eyes. I averted my gaze, peering down into the hot spring below us.

"They're...gone..." I barely managed to whisper.

"What?" She asked, looking up at me. "That's preposterous! That's...impossible..." Her voice trailed off as she caught the solemn look upon my face. "No..."

"We tried to be peaceful, tried to be fair. He left is no choice. We had to refuse. And then...he attacked. Dragons broke through the roof, setting our village aflame. No one survived..." I paused, feeling unworthy of my next phrase. "Except me."

"But if you all had Night Furies, how come they didn't protect you?"

I hesitated, nervous to release the secret that my people had kept for centuries. Ever since we had landed on our Isle of Night, my ancestors bonded with the Night Furies and befriended them. They had discovered a special magic on the isle, allowing them to bind their souls to the dragons they partnered with. We became known in legends as the Soul Binders, an ancient and tribal village full of dark magic. Some feared us, others sought to discover our secret, hoping to control dragons for themselves. Drago was one of them. He demanded we teach him our magic, or he would bring the wrath of dragons upon us.

We refused. He attacked. And I alone carry the secrets of my ancestors in my mind and in my blood.

The woman stared up at me, studying my face, able to see the sorrow etched into my brow, and into my eyes. "You must be a Soul Binder."

I looked at her suddenly, startled by her comment. How did she know? "But...how did you?..."

"Everyone knows the powers of the Soul Binders. The ability to join a dragon and human soul into one, partnering with your dragon for life. This is common knowledge." Her smile faded, and a serious look crossed over as she turned towards me. "What most don't know is how dangerous this is. Binding the soul means binding the life forces of the two, and if one were to die...the other would perish alongside them. For a peaceful village, such as yours on the Isle of Night, this did not perturb you. You did not expect the hostility of others towards you, for you were keepers of peace and found no reason to fight. But when the fighting did occur, your dragons failed to help you. And they perished. What happened?"

I closed my eyes, trying to remember where the dragons were during the meeting. They wre not in the hall with us, but they weren't too far away. "Fishing. They were fishing. The ocean isn't too far from our shores and our Night Furies grew up eating fish. While we were in the meeting, our dragons went to the shores to fish. Drago attacked us while our dragons were away. They all perished before our dragons could come to save us, causing the death of the Night Furies as well. The only reason I escaped was because..." I glanced over at Comet, whose wide eyes gazed at me. She knew what I was thinking, and what I was saying, and I could feel her own sorrow as I relayed the story.

"Comet never left my side. She stayed outside the hall, perched on the roof, waiting for me. When Drago's dragons broke into the hall, Comet dashed in and saved me. Recused me. Protected me. I wouldn't be here without her." I walked over and ran a hand down her snout, stroking her nose affectionately. She gave me a gently nudge and I wrapped my arms around her neck.

"What is her name?" The woman asked, smiling at me.

"Comet. And I'm Lucaria. Who are you?"

"I'm Valka. I live here, in the lair of the Bewilderbeast." She glanced around, laying her eyes upon the great orange dragon standing behind her. She placed a hand on the dragon's leg, and smiled up at it. She turned back to me. "This is Cloudjumper."

Comet cocked her head and walked up to Cloudjumper, staring up at him. Cloudjumper looked down, his eyes widening with curiosity.

"You said a Bewilderbeast live here?" I asked Valka, looking up at the icy ceiling above us.

"Yes, he built this dome to protect these dragons. They all live under his command." She walked towards the edge of the cliff, and I suddenly realized that the large white object I had thought of as an iceberg was the Bewilderbeast himself.

"Wow..." I breathed, unable to peel my eyes away from the royal dragon below me.

"Every nest has it's queen, but this is the king of all dragons!" Valka exclaimed, opening her arms wide. I smiled to myself, quite happy to be in the presence of such a rare and incredible dragon. But I remembered my sorrow and turned away, comforted only by Comet's presence. An idea pricked my mind, and I contemplated what it might mean. I took a deep breath before turning around to face Valka, who was looking at me with curiosity in her eyes.

"Valka...I have a question."


	3. Chapter 3

Comet and I sped through the air, in perfect sync, zipping through clouds and gliding alongside the vast wingspans of some TimberJacks. I smiled as I felt the cool air brush my face, the wind whipping my hair and trailing off to the unknown behind me. I had been living with Valka for the past few months, and she was teaching me the ways of the dragons. She taught me tricks and facts about each dragon that I never could have fathomed.

Having grown up with Night Furies, there wasn't much Valka could teach me about Comet, but the wondrous things she taught me about the other dragon species awed me. She was so knowledgeable. She knew every secret each dragon had to show, and it made me wonder how long she had been studying them. I was intrigued by her relationship with Cloudjumper in particular. They shared a bond so strong, it reminded me of my homeland. Cloudjumper was always at her side, and seemed to understand and feel her presence as much as she felt his. They communicated wordlessly, as Comet and I did. I had only ever seen a bond as strong among my people. I stroked underneath Comet's chin, and she lifted her head, cooing lightly at my touch.

I needed no commands to communicate with Comet. Our minds were one, and my thoughts belonged to her as well. I laid low over her back, clinging to a small leather ring that hung around her neck. A small pendant hung from the front, a bright, brilliant green that matched her emerald eyes. A cluster of reddish-brown feathers hung from the base of her left ear, flying back and fluttering against my arm. The feathers were a symbol of my place among our tribe. My father was chief, fiercely protective of his people, and yet a keeper of peace. I could picture his soft brown eyes as he watched me grow alongside Comet. I could feel the tickle of his short, brown beard against my cheek as he rocked me to sleep each night.

I took a deep breath, remembering him perched in his tall wooden chair in the Great Hall. I remembered seeing the bright red feathers that hung from DarkFire's ears. DarkFire was his dragon, a dragon fit for the chieftain of our clan. DarkFire was strong, heavily built, and protective. Just like my father. But the memory that was blazed so vividly in my mind was too dreadful to recall, so with a heavy heart I forced myself to push back my thoughts of home.

I gently brushed the feathers with two of my fingers, retraining my eyes upon the vast ocean below us. I saw ships, sails splayed, and knew all too well of the dragon trappers who waited upon them. My mouth slipped into a frown as I saw a commotion on one of the decks. The trappers were running around in a frenzy, collecting spears and swords and pointing over the edge of the rail, into the water. The surface was bubbling and shifting, but we were too high in the air for me to discern what laid beneath the waves. Comet flew down, but I felt a growing apprehension as we approached the boat.

"Wait." The verbal command was unnecessary, as Comet sensed my premonition, but my suspicion manifested into words. We hovered above, in midair, as a great white mass surged up from the sea, blasting ice onto the tiny, now insignificant ships. The Bewilderbeast.

We dove down a little closer, trying to get a better view through the dense cloud cover. Then I saw what the mighty dragon was after- a wooden fort situated on a small patch of land. Crossbows and spears and nets littered the fort, and dragon cries pierced through the armored walls. Anger surged up in me, and I fought to control my fury. Comet glanced over her shoulder at me, concerned. I sat upright again, watching the Bewilderbeast, wishing I could aid in the rescue of the dragons but fearful to intervene.

Icy blasts shot through the fort, sending splinters of wood flying in all directions. Swords and axes clanged against the ice as they dropped to the ground, forgotten as their wielders fled in terror. My chest tightened as the trapped dragons failed to appear. I scanned the ruins for any sign of them, worried that they had been injured by the ice. Suddenly, out of the corner of my eyes, I saw a whirlwind of color. From behind the icy pinnacles, hundreds of trapped dragons freed their wings, and relief flooded me as I saw them take to the sky. The Bewilderbeast, having saved the captive dragons, turned back and abandoned the now desolated fort. Comet flew down and landed on one of the icy spears, peering curiously below into the shattered wooden remains.

A razor net flew from the crevice in front of us, slashing Comet's cheek and slicing across my shoulder. A let out a pained cry, grasping my leg, losing hold of Comet. I lost my balance as Comet recoiled from the attack, scrabbling for a handhold, finding none. I plummeted down towards the jagged ice, my stomach rising up into my throat.

Comet let out a heart-wrenching cry and plunged after me, reaching out for me. I began to feel light-headed as I fell, time seeming to slow around me. Comet's panicked face appeared, dark red blood dripping from the slash across her cheek. I called out to her, scared, terrified, before I slammed against something below me and my world went dark.


	4. Chapter 4

I awoke with a throbbing pain in my shoulder, and a dull ache in my heart. I sat up carefully, gingerly holding my bandaged arm, and cringed as the movement caused another burst of sporadic pain through my entire arm. I glanced around, and realized why my heart ached- Comet was not with me. Even now I could hear her cries, echoing in my head as she called for me from wherever she was caged.

Squeezing my eyes shut, I told her I was okay, that everything was going to be alright. She stopped wailing, but a whimper replaced her cries.

"You're awake."

I whipped around to face the sudden voice. A man, tall and burly looking, was leaning against an icy post beside my cell. He had strange tattoos on his over sized chin. He was looking down at me with casual interest.

"Release me now." I stated, plain and simple, standing upright. I kept my eyes trained on him, and more specifically, the dagger under his belt.

"How about no?" He pulled out his dagger and swung it around his fingers, catching it in his hand and holding it up to the cage bars. "We've got an order of dragons to fill by tomorrow, and your stupid dragon came and blew the place to smithereens! How on earth are we supposed to fill the order by tomorrow now? Though I suppose..." He gave a sly glance back towards where he had Comet caged, "A Night Fury would suffice."

"Don't you dare!" I shouted, knowing my words were no use against him.

"What's stopping me?" He asked, a hint of a challenge in his voice. He swung around and stuck his dagger back in his belt, turning his back to me. I heard Comet whimper again. Even if I couldn't save myself, I had to save her. I looked around the cell. It was small, and it was metal all the way around. The only part not metal was an icy panel above me where the top was blasted off. It made an adequate barrier to a muzzled dragon, but for me...

Shouting came from outside the fort, and the Man ran to figure out what was happening. With a quick glance, I checked to see if any guards were around, and hastily lifted myself up using the bars. I reached up to the top of the cage, barely able to squeeze my torso through the crack between the cell top and the slab of ice. I wiggled through, straining to escape without drawing attention. I heard dragon cries from outside, and was worried about the trappers, but Comet was my first priority.

I quietly slipped through the icy remains of the fort, heading in the direction the man had nodded. He seemed to be my age, but with a cruel streak unknown to my kind. I finally turned a corner and found Comet strapped down and muzzled to prevent her from making an escape with her fire. She was not caged, thankfully, but chains and straps littered the floor, rendering her immobile. She let out another whimper, lowering her head to the floor as I approached. She was ashamed that she allowed this to happen, and I saw the streak on her right cheek where the razor net had hit her. I gave her a small smile, sinking to my knees and hugging her snout. She nudged me and closed her eyes, nuzzling into my arms. While reluctant to leave the security of our embrace, it was not safe. I had to free her from the chains.

Hard as I tried, I could hardly budge the muzzle that constricted her mouth. I spun around wildly, trying desperately to find something before the trappers returned and our window of escape disappeared. _Think Lucaria, think!_ I noticed a sword near the wall, slightly bent and obviously abandoned. Taking a deep breath, I picked it up, hesitantly walking over to Comet, who looked up at me with confusion.

_It's okay, Comet. I won't hurt you._ She lowered her head slightly, her version of a nod, and closed her eyes, waiting. I lifted the sword above my head, knowing it would draw attention to us. I paused, wondering if there was anything else I could do. Looking to my right, I caught a glance of a wooden shaft hidden under splinters of wood and ice. Praying for Thor to help me, I walked over and picked it up, revealing a spear head with a serrated edge.

Thanking Thor for his kindness, I rushed back over to Comet and began cutting the leather straps with the spearhead. If I could just rid Comet of these chains, maybe we could escape, but only dragon fire would be able to melt the chains...

I found a small gap where a metal ring connected the straps to the muzzle, and wedged the spearhead underneath. Comet let out a sharp whine as the opposite side cut into her jaw slightly.

"I'm so sorry Comet...but this is the only way to get it off..." I looked at her for permission, not wanting to go any further without her consent. She trusted me completely, again lowering her head slightly. I carefully sawed at the leather, trying to keep the opposite edge as far off her jaw as possible. Finally, there was a small _snap _as the leather broke, and Comet shook the muzzle off. She whipped around and blasted the chains with fire, melting them off into puddles of silver that pooled on the floor. Shouts came from behind us, and I knew we had to move.

I grabbed her collar and swung myself up over her back, lying down flat so she could fly as high as possible along the roof. We hugged the ceiling until we flew over top of the trappers, who had been dashing down the hallways towards us. Shouting, they turned around and chased after us, throwing spears and swords in useless attempts at stopping us.

My heart sped up as we finally escaped into open air, pounding as I saw archers aiming at us. I urged Comet higher, above their line of fire. Thankfully the archers' aim was dreadful, and we escaped unscathed. I turned around to make sure we had no pursuers, and saw faint movements going in the opposite direction. I thought I could make out two streaks, one blue, and the other black.


	5. Chapter 5

Having finally escaped, the adrenaline rush that had accompanied the fear was wearing down, and the pain in my shoulder became excruciating. I gritted my teeth to keep from moaning, but I was unable to fool Comet. She sped as quickly as she could towards the Bewilderbeast Sanctuary, throwing anxious glances at me as she went.

I began to feel light-headed and faint again, swaying on Comet's back. I forced myself to focus on what lay ahead, to prevent myself from succumbing to the blackness creeping towards the edges of my vision.

The ocean swayed below us, broken at random intervals by icebergs or sheets of snow. Sparse islands dotted the surface, often covered with a layer of white that reflected the sun. It was always so bright during the day, and I preferred to fly at night, when there was only the faint, pale glow of the moon to guide us.

I saw a pair of Scauldrons rise from the icy water below us, gracefully gliding for a few seconds before diving back under the surface. I stroked behind Comet's ear. Seeing wild dragons made me nostalgic. I had never tried to tame a wild dragon, as Comet had grown up alongside me. Comet found me lost in the woods when I was younger, merely a baby, when she was still young and small as well. Not all wild dragons are hostile, but the changewing I had accidentally encountered was not necessarily delighted to see me. It began to attack me, when suddenly a tiny black figure leaped from behind me and defended me, shielding me with with a small pair of black wings. The changewing seemed unintimidated, until the Night Fury let out a roar and snorted in determination.

The changewing, while not intimidated, seemed to decide against pointlessly attacking, and flew away with a screech. The little Night Fury turned to me, a small look of pride on her face. Being so very young, I did not fully understand what she had done, but I hobbled over and hugged her neck anyway. My father came crashing through the trees, calling my name and frantically searching for me. He halted when he saw me cuddling with the young Night Fury, a smile spreading across his face. "I guess you've found yourself a friend."

Comet and I have been inseparable since. She even refused to sleep in the stables by our house, preferring to sleep in my room, curled up on the floor beside my bed. I have never had a better friend or soul partner than her.

I looked up from my memories, and realized more time had passed than I had thought. The icy dome of the Bewilderbeast lair lay ahead, and the relaxing, safe feeling that came with the sight flooded me. Comet landed lightly upon the icy platform leading towards the kitchen, careful not to jar my shoulder and cause pain. I slid off, wincing. Valka was at my side in an instant, alerted to our presence by Cloudjumper, who had run up to greet us, realizing something was wrong.

"What happened?" She asked, hastily peeling off the ragged bandages and inspecting the wound. The razor net had not sliced too deeply into my skin, yet it left a thick red line across my shoulder and collarbone. It stung dreadfully. Valka grabbed some cloth bandages from a small basket in the kitchen, gently wrapping them around the wound as best as she could.

"The Bewilderbeast attacked a fort out across the ocean. Dragon trappers were stationed there, and quite a few dragons had been caught. The Bewilderbeast went to free them. Comet and I went down to examine the ruins, and we were attacked. A razor net was shot at us, and it cut Comet's cheek as well." I ran a finger along the gash on Comet's jaw, solemnly knowing it was my fault it had happened.

Valka caught the look in my eyes, and turned me to face her. She stared deep into my eyes, evaluating my expression. She could always read exactly what I was thinking. "This wasn't your fault."

"Valka, we were trapped. They caught us. Had there not been a commotion outside, and had my cell not been breachable, we would have been taken to Drago. It was my curiosity that led us into danger." I hung my head. "And I caused Comet harm." Comet looked up at me, forgiveness in her wide, green eyes.

"Lucaria, don't blame yourself. What if there had been another dragon still trapped? You may have put yourselves in danger, but you would have saved another dragon from Drago's command and freed them from cruel captivity." She lifted my chin up with a finger. "Be proud you are so brave as to risk yourself for another." She smiled.

"Thank you Valka." I returned her smile, giving her a hug. As we broke the embrace, it occurred to me how motherly she was. I had lost all of my family to Drago's attack, and she was filling the empty gap in my heart with her love and care. I wondered if she had any children herself. She never talked about it, and I wouldn't dare bring up anything so personal against her will. She turned towards Comet and Cloudjumper, who were comically chasing each other. Cloudjumper was not as enthusiastic as Comet, seeming to at least keep some of his dignity. Comet was jumping circles around him, playfully watching him swivel his owl-like head as she went around.

I smiled to myself as I watched them, happy that Comet found a friend in Cloudjumper, just as I had found a friend and mother in Valka. I walked through the kitchen, following Valka out to the main chamber of the sanctuary. Cloudjumper followed obediently, Comet still jumping around and even leaping up onto his back. He threw her a look over his shoulder, but she refused to jump down, so with a roll of the eyes he continued without question.

I plopped down onto the grass as we entered the expansive chamber ahead. I laid back, feeling the soft tickle of the green blades underneath me. Comet jumped off of Cloudjumper and curled around me, laying down beside me so I could prop myself up against her side just behind her arms. I lay against her chest, feeling her breathing beneath me as she lowered her head into her arms. I'm not one for big revelations, but it seemed everything was easier, calmer, more peaceful when she was around. I hid nothing from Comet, and she hid nothing from me. We understood each other to an extent seemingly impossible and unattainable between two creatures so different.

But we weren't all that different. She understood the world just as much as I, knew it's expansiveness, cherished everything it offered. She felt the joy of zipping through the air high above the rest of the world, up with the clouds and the sky and the sun, seeing the world from a perspective new and different each time. She felt sorrow from the loss of our family and friends, the isolation and fear that followed. She knew the symptoms of a broken heart, an abandoned heart, and through her own suffering and anguish seeked to comfort me as best she could. And I tried to comfort her too, no matter the circumstance. It was this understanding, deeper than any I have ever known before, that protected me, sheltered me from tearing myself apart. I confided in her, and she listened, she knew my pain, shared my pain, and we relied on each other more than anything or anyone else.

"I love you Comet." I whispered, and her ear picked up slightly at the sound of my voice. She cooed and nuzzled even closer, placing her snout on my outstretched legs. I drifted off into a peaceful sleep, nestled in Comet's protective circle, calmed by her presence. The last thing I remember thinking before sleep swept me away, was a single thought:

_I could not have asked for a better friend._


	6. Chapter 6

When I awoke, a silent uneasiness hung over the sanctuary. It seemed too quiet for my liking, and I realized Valka must have taken the dragons out to feed. Stretching and yawning, I hobbled to my feet, rubbing my sleep-weary eyes. Comet yawned, her teeth retracted. I stroked her neck and she playfully batted me with her tail. I pretended to tackle her, eventually ending up slumped against her shoulder. She let out a laugh, which echoed around the cavern.

I slowly got up, relieved that the pain in my shoulder was quickly fading. I hopped up on Comet's back, smiling as she shook her head excitedly, causing the feathers hanging off her ear to tremble slightly. We dashed out through the kitchen to our favorite icy platform, where Comet performed one of her favorite tricks: a vertical takeoff. I hugged her back, squeezing her sides tightly with my knees and clutching the strap around her neck. The thrill of such quick acceleration rushed through me, and I couldn't help letting out a joyous shout.

Once we had reached an acceptable height, we glided along, enjoying the cool winds on our faces. We went into a steep dive, pulling up just as Comet's wingtips brushed the surface of the water, sending up a splash of ocean spray.

Comet suddenly veered off and landed on a iceberg, ducking down behind a thick layer of ice. I dismounted and walked around to the front of the iceberg, searching the ocean for the ship Comet had hidden from. I walked to the tip of the iceberg while Comet slowly and carefully crept up behind me. I peered from the edge of the ice at the ship, startled to see a collection of dragons on the deck. I couldn't distinguish the dragons very well, nor could I hope to pick out any humans. But I watched from afar, trying to see what was happening. I called out to Comet, and she came up beside me, ears perked up and listening. I hopped on her back, and keeping low and close to the ocean, we flew closer. We stopped, still a good while away, but I was able to see more clearly. A motion caught my eye, moving in the air not too far from the ship, and I curiously looked over. A figure, clearly not a dragon, dropped from the sky, and I almost started to chase after it. But the figure extended what seemed to be small wings and flew down to the ship, grasping the sail and sliding down to the deck.

Comet and I both cocked our heads at the strange sight, and my heart leaped as my eyes retrained on the dragons on the boat.

Standing protectively beside the figure was a black dragon. A Night Fury.

My heart stopped beating for a second, and I peered closer, unsure if it was a trick of my eyes or not. I blinked several times, knowing it had to be false, had to be a figment of my imagination. But the dragon flew off and into the clouds, trainer in tow, and I knew my mind was not fooling me. But my chances to unite with the Night Fury had vanished, and wishing I had acted sooner, I turned back towards the Sanctuary. The whole flight home, questions pounded and revolved in my head.

_Who was that? Was I not the only one to survive? Who could it be? How did they escape? Why didn't they come looking for me sooner? Why were they on that ship? Who were the others? _ I had to force myself to stop before my questions overloaded my common sense.

As I neared the Sanctuary, I saw Valka and Cloudjumper. I almost flew up to greet them, when I saw another figure grasped in the arms of a dragon behind her. The dragons of the sanctuary flew behind her. Confused, I followed behind, but not so near as to cause suspicion or alert others to our flew into the Sanctuary, and I noticed Valka had her armor on. She only ever put her armor on when flying far enough out to deem it necessary. I decided to let her deal with what I supposed was a dragon trapper by herself. Comet and I returned through our normal shortcut, and we flew to a rock pillar in the center of the main chamber. She perched herself on the top, glancing around at the dragons that were returning and flying around. I hopped down, precariously perched on a rock ledge. The waters below me shimmered, and I slowly began climbing down towards a comfortable looking nook.

I lowered my feet down to gaps in the rock, my hand brushing the mossy surface, searching for handholds. The little nook I had chosen was not easily reachable, but I noticed a outcrop from where I could jump. I shimmied across a ledge, knocking dirt and pebbles off, hearing them hit the water below with a _sploosh_. Taking a deep breath, I continued, cherishing the exhilarating feeling of being high up, being able to climb freely, trusting in my own strength and skill. I understood why Comet loved flying so much.

I pulled myself up onto the rock outcrop, and it held steady, fused with the rocks behind it. The nook was farther away than I had first thought, but not too far away. Comet snorted from above, looking down at me. I grinned at her, accepting her challenge, then turned back to the task at hand. I took a step backwards, until my foot was aligned with the back edge of the rock below me. Taking a deep breath, I kept my eyes focused on the nook, determined as ever. I closed my eyes for a second, reopening them as I took one quick step forwards, and then another, and then I was flying through the air, and I felt weightless, until my feet hit the stone of the nook and I stumbled forwards.

Comet let out a cry as I landed and toppled over, afraid I was getting ready to fall off. But I merely landed on my bottom, letting out a ringing laugh. I scooted to the edge of the nook, dangling my feet over, swishing them through the open air. Comet flew down and landed beside me, laying down and shooting me a look. I smiled smugly at her, knowing she thought I wasn't going to make it. She yawned and curled up beside me anyways, her tail hanging limply over the edge.

I looked at her, studying her black face. She was my friend, always had been, and I would never trade her for anything else. I took the green pendant that hung around her neck in my hands, turning it over to reveal thin lines on the smooth underside. I had carefully carved it there with a knife myself when I gave it to her. The lines read two names: _Lucaria & Comet_. I gazed at the small, graceful letters, smiling to myself. The green of the pendant reflected in my own forest green eyes, and I stroked the smooth surface of the stone. Comet lifted her head and glanced down at my hands, looking back up at me with her eyes widened. I pressed the pendant to her nose, and she closed her eyes. I leaned down and placed my forehead against the pendant as well. The pendant was a symbol of our unity, of our friendship, of our soul.

I saw Valka enter the sanctuary through a small tunnel, meeting up with Cloudjumper. They leapt to the wall, Cloudjumper upside down and Valka perched on the base of his wing. She scanned the sanctuary, eyes missing me. Suddenly, another figure emerged from the same tunnel, stumbling out on one synthetic leg, pausing as he gazed upon the swirling cluster of dragons in front of him.

And a Night Fury followed. A Night Fury, slightly larger than Comet, emerged after the boy, watching the dragons as well. For an unknown reason, I leaned in closer to Comet in an attempt to conceal myself. Valka, sliding down with Cloudjumper's assistance, approached the boy.

I watched them curiously, never having met another outsider since Valka. I was unsure of the newcomer, not sure why Valka brought him to our sanctuary, if there was any chance he was allied with Drago. But I trusted her judgement.

Valka went over to the other Night Fury, studying it and laughing as it played with her. I couldn't help smiling to myself. I looked over at Comet, who had a mixture of excitement and anxiety in her eyes. I stroked her snout and ears, trying to calm her down. She showed no signs of willing to move though, and kept her eyes trained on the Night Fury below us.

I almost let out an audible laugh as Cloudjumper scared off a frenzy of baby dragons that were surrounding the new Night Fury. I looked over to Valka and the boy, who were gazing down upon the Great Bewilderbeast. The mighty being lifted its massive head, bringing it face-to-face with Valka and the boy. Valka bowed, as did the others dragons, and I felt the compulsive need to bow as well. The boy just gazed in wonder upon the majestic creature. After a few seconds studying the boy, it blew a small breath of ice upon his face, and I smiled, knowing it was a sign of approval. I myself had gone through the same ritual when I had first arrived.

Suddenly Valka looked at us, catching my eye. She turned to the boy, saying something to him, and he looked out our way, thankfully not spotting us hidden behind the rock. But Valka knew we were there, and I knew what was bound to happen next.

"Lucaria?" She called, a smile spreading across her face, "There's someone you need to meet."


	7. Chapter 7

Timidly, Comet and I flew down to greet them. "Hi." I said, face lowered, looking up shyly at the boy. He smiled, extending a hand.

"I'm Hiccup, and this," he said with a gesture to the Night Fury behind him, "is Toothless."

"Lucaria." I whispered, taking his hand and gently shaking it. He was fairly tall and very handsome, with a mat of brown hair and piercing green eyes. I looked over at Comet, who was ineffectively trying to hide behind me. "This is Comet."

Hiccup walked over to her, extending a hand. Comet's eyes narrowed for a second, slightly startled by his movements, but she relaxed and slowly pressed her nose to his palm in a gesture of friendship. He smiled, running his fingers up her snout and stroking her ears, strikingly similar to the way I did. I was awed by his natural kinship with dragons.

Toothless looked shy as well, glancing back at Cloudjumper, who, as expected, had a smug look on his face. Toothless peeked his head out from behind Hiccup, watching Comet with curious eyes.

Valka turned to me. "Lucaria, Hiccup is..." she paused, glancing over with affection towards the boy who was now playing around with Toothless, "my son."

My jaw dropped, eyes widened, and I let out an audible gasp. Quickly clamping my mouth shut, I stared at her, then back at Hiccup in a mixture of confusion and contemplation. I could see the similarities, but Valka's reaction to Hiccup had been queer, and I hadn't seen nor heard of Hiccup in all my time with her.

"I never knew you had a son, Valka. Why haven't you told me?"

She looked up at me with guilt and sadness in her eyes. "I meant to tell you sooner. I just wasn't sure how to bring it up. How could I tell you my old story of grief after you had just lost your entire family and village? I just didn't believe it to be fair of me."

I smiled at her. "Valka, I'm not upset. I'm grateful you cared enough to help me through my loss. But how come I've never seen him around?"

"That's because..." she paused, formulating her words. "Have you heard of the Isle of Berk?"

"Yes. It's to the northeast of the Isle of Night."

"I was born and raised in Berk. I grew up and married Stoick the Vast, chieftain of the Isle. Hiccup was our son. I had a great family, and a generally happy life. But one night, dragons raided our village. One broke into our house, and I rushed in to protect Hiccup, who was only a babe. But the dragon I met in there was not savage, nor did it wish to harm Hiccup and me. It was a kind and benevolent being, and to my surprise, I saw my own soul reflected in the eyes of the beast." She walked over and laid a hand on the side of Cloudjumper's face. "Cloudjumper must have thought I belonged here, because he stole me away and brought me here." She looked down. "I never had the heart to return to Berk after that. I've been away for twenty years."

"Valka..." I said, unable to fathom the fear and pain she must have experienced, and the sorrow she must have felt every day, knowing she could never return to her son, or her family, living in isolation.

"I'm sorry Lucaria."

"Please don't be sorry. Ever since you took me in, you've filled the gap in my heart where I had lost my family. You..." I hesitated with my next words. How could I say it when she had finally found her true son? How would Hiccup react? And how could I say this when my own family had so recently died? "You've become a mother to me..." I looked down sheepishly, expecting her to retort saying Hiccup was her true son, or to act awkwardly towards me.

But she smiled, took my hands, and stared deep into my eyes. "And you've become the daughter I've always wished I had."

Hiccup stood off to the side, listening quietly and almost sadly. But Valka pulled him over and embraced him. "Now I have both my son, and my daughter." I looked over at them. Hiccup, my brother? It would take some getting used to...

I glanced over at Toothless and Comet, who were already best friends. They were jumping around, chasing each other, and annoying Cloudjumper. Hiccup turned towards me, and smiled. My brother. I grinned. I could get used to it.

One thing Valka had said confused me though. "You said dragons raided your village? Why on earth would they do that?"

Hiccup turned to me, a grim look on his face. "When vikings first landed on the Isle of Berk, we weren't exactly friendly to the surrounding dragons. And the dragons weren't friendly to us. They raided our village countless times, and in turn we defended ourselves and were forced to kill them to protect our own. When I was younger, I wasn't exactly the strongest of all vikings." He gestured to himself. "Nor am I now. But I was envious of the others because they were strong and headstrong and capable of battling dragons. I tried, but everything I did ended in failure." He shifted his gaze to Toothless, who was presently battling a horde of baby dragons. "Then one night, I shot down a Night Fury. Toothless. Nobody believed me. So I ran out to the forest to find the dragon and prove once and for all I could be like all the others. Yet when I finally found him...I couldn't. I tried, but something in his eyes...reminded me of myself. He was just as scared as I was. So I freed him.

"I observed him over the next few weeks, and our friendship gradually grew. When I shot him down...he lost his left tail fin. He was unable to fly on his own. So I built him a new tail, one that I could control by riding on his back. It took some time to grow used to it, but we learned to work together." His expression turned solemn. "Then I was forced to kill a Monstrous Nightmare in the ring. I couldn't do it. I had to show my father that we didn't need to kill dragons. I dishonored him, and as he turned to violence, the Nightmare turned on me. Toothless rushed to my aid, and almost killed my father to protect me. He was captured, and they took him away in search of the Dragons' Nest. Long story short, we learned that the dragons were hostile due to a Queen Dragon, called the Green Death, who was almost as big as the Bewilderbeast. Toothless and I managed to defeat the dragon, but I lost my leg in the process." He held up his peg leg. "After that, vikings and dragons learned to live side by side. It's been that way for the past few years."

I nodded, contemplating, then looked up at him. "I'm glad everything turned out well in the end. I'm surprised this Green Death was ordering the dragons to attack and pilfer, but not all dragons are as benevolent as the Night Furies."

"By the way, Lucaria, where did you find Comet? I was beginning to think Toothless was the only one left..."

I looked over at Valka, who had been silently listening to our conversation. She nodded.

"You see...Night Furies weren't always rare. In most other isles, yes, they were the rarest of all, and it was highly unlikely to ever see one. But from where I come from...the Isle of Night...the only dragons ever found were Night Furies."

"You mean...Toothless and Comet aren't the last ones?" He asked excitedly, taking my shoulders. I looked up into his eyes, sighing and trying to keep back the inevitable tears.

"They are the very last of their kind, Hiccup. They are only remaining survivors of the Night Furies."


	8. Chapter 8

"Let me tell you the story of my people, the Soul Binders," I said quietly. I walked over towards the cliff face and stared down into the water. Valka and Hiccup followed close behind. "Many long years ago, a colony of people were travelling the seas, looking for a place to call home. They landed upon a lush green isle, with gentle harbors for their boats and green pastures for their livestock. When they finally set their sea-weary feet upon the shore, dragons came to meet them. Night Furies. They had come to protect their land. But my people were kind to them, offering them plentiful supplies of fish among others, and the Night Furies grew accustomed to their presence on the island. They did not mind the tiny settlement my people set up.

"Then my people began taming the Night Furies. Well, taming isn't the the best word, more like befriending. We work together with our dragons...as one. This is where we ultimately received our name, the Soul Binders. As we learned the ways of our Night Fury companions, we learned of a certain poem, etched into the rock in the center of the Night Fury nest. Every Night Fury on the island nested there, in one huge circle, with a ring of trees surrounding the black patches of scorched earth where the dragons slept. The poem went as followed:

_An Isle of Night for the rarest of all, awaiting the day when people would call,_

_A friendship strong and a friendship sweet; a soul to hold, a soul to keep._

_Give my soul to bind, to share, this dragon's soul now in my care._

That is the binding spell. It must be performed in front of the relic where the poem is etched, and the person who is reciting the spell must have a strong relationship with the dragon beside them. Otherwise, it fails. While there was great power and strength behind soul binding, there was also great danger. The relic also held a warning:

_Take heed, those who wish to exploit the magic of the Isle of Night. The dragons who reside here are rare, and their numbers are small. Beware the man who dreams beyond, and openly wishes to control them all."_

I sighed. This was the flaw with my people. They ignored the warning of the relic. And their folly resulted in the loss of their own lives as well as their dragons'.

"My people ignored the warning, knowing none of their kind would betray their morals of peace and their friendship with their dragons. But they did not count on anyone as cruel and heartless as Drago Bludvist to come."

"Drago Bludvist went to your village?!" Hiccup asked, incredulous.

"Yes...and...he wanted to know our secret. He wanted to control more dragons. He didn't realize the circumstances required, and my people refused to give it to him. He sent his dragons upon them...upon us. They all perished...except me."

Valka laid a hand on my shoulder, stroking a strand of hair back from my face. Hiccup looked down, unsure of what to say or how to react, then took my hand sympathetically.

"As a result, all their Night Furies died. For when the souls are bound, if one half were to perish, the other must perish alongside the other. And so the Night Furies have dwindled down to Comet and Toothless."

"But...But...I don't understand...there have to be other Night Furies somewhere! They can't be the only two. Weren't there wild Night Furies? On other isles?" Hiccup exclaimed.

"Night Furies refused to leave their home. They had everything they ever needed, and didn't need to compete with other dragons for food or shelter. They stayed within their community, and all other dragons kept their distance. But since the island was small, their numbers were forced to remain slightly low. This didn't bother them at all. They didn't need huge, overwhelming population numbers. They were a community where every dragon knew the other, similar to both my village and Berk, I'm sure. Regardless, a Night Fury egg is hatched only once a decade. And because my people grew and expanded into the village, their numbers eventually grew to match the number of Night Furies on the isle, and because everyone wanted a dragon companion..."

"There were no wild Night Furies left," Hiccup completed. "But how did you know for sure? What if there is an egg still waiting out there?"

"We can communicate wordlessly with our dragons, when our souls are bound. Some have the rare and unique ability to do it by strength of friendship alone, but most of the people in my village required the binding spell. We could communicate with the dragons, and they mentioned two eggs, a rare occurrence, that were safely tucked away in a magma-warmed cave, awaiting the day they should hatch. But then disaster struck. About 20 years ago, a few months before I was born, a heavy storm struck the island, grounding the Night Furies and forcing everyone to take shelter in their homes to escape the searing winds and rain that fell like arrows. It was this fateful night when the Nesting Cave was raided. One egg we found hidden deep inside the cave, positioned safely on a perch surrounded by magma. This egg hatched the same day I was born, but I did not meet her until I was a little older. The other we never heard of again. Since then, only 2 other Night Furies have been born, and both were bonded at the time of the attack."

"Do you think the egg, the lost one, managed to reach Berk somehow?"

"I can only imagine it had. And then it hatched in a wild and unknown place, not knowing any other like it, and it probably got mixed in with the...Green Death, you called it?"

"That must have been what happened. I can't believe it though. Why would anyone steal a Night Fury egg? And how, then, would they lose it?"

"The people who stole the egg might have worked for Drago, though unlikely since it was so long ago, or they had heard of legends of Night Furies and their power and sought to take on for themselves. They were probably shipwrecked on Berk or were attacked by dragons, who took the egg safely away. Otherwise it wouldn't have hatched on Berk. You are lucky to have met Toothless, though. Of all dragons, Night Furies are the most loyal, intelligent, and protective of all."

Hiccup paused, contemplating everything I had just said. Even as I thought back over, I could hardly believe what I was saying. It sounded like a depressing fairy tale, a bad dream that we were waiting to wake up from. But I knew better. We all knew better.


	9. Chapter 9

I flew with Comet beside Hiccup and Toothless, watching the way Hiccup adjusted his foot to change the position of the synthetic tail fin. Despite what would normally be a crippling injury, Toothless flew as gracefully as any other Night Fury. They worked surprisingly well together. Their friendship was incredibly unique, unlike anything I had ever seen before. Hiccup had become Toothless' first friend, and while he injured Toothless, he had also become the Night Fury's savior. That, and their understanding of each other, their similar age, everything contributed to a relationship I had never even considered before.

Looking down, I saw the faint outlines of a few Seashockers below us, before they disappeared underneath the surface of the icy waves. I glanced down at Comet, who was curiously watching Toothless, no doubt wondering about the strange contraption that he required to be able to fly. I stroked her ear, fingering the feather that flew back from her left ear. I smiled to myself. I belonged here. Flying upon the back of my most trusted friend, with my family. Adopted I may be, but treated as if blood. Valka and Cloudjumper flew ahead of us. We were on our way to a feeding, and Hiccup seemed a bit flustered.

Valka turned around, holding her hand out. We all stopped, Hiccup looking around confusedly. I snuck a look down, watching the ocean swirling below us. Hiccup caught my eyes and looked down as well, watching with a start as the Bewilderbeast burst up from the ocean, spouting fish. As the fish rained down, the Sanctuary dragons flitted about and snatched up fish. Toothless looked excitedly at Hiccup. Hiccup agreed with a laugh, and they began a nose dive as Toothless rushed to snatch fish out of the air.

I looked down at Comet, who already had a determined look in her eyes. We had practiced this many times. We entered a dive, spiraling, the ocean twisting closer and closer towards us. A split second before we hit water, Comet spread her wings wide, barely scraping the surface of the water with her wingtips, and surged upwards vertically, wings flapping quickly and powerfully. We veered the the left, looping around sideways and completing a smooth backflip. I clung tightly to Comet's neckstrap, my thighs tight against her side, body hugging the contours of her neck.

Comet's flight path evened out, and I held my arms out wide, feeling the wind rushing against my face, through my hair, threatening to push me off of Comet's back. I loved the thrill, the danger, the pure joy of soaring through an open sky, plunging through clouds. Taking a deep breath, I brushed the side of Comet's neck, slowly standing up. The wind was furious, trying to rip me off and throw me into the air. I obliged. I ran towards Comet's tail, taking a flying leap and diving downwards.

I heard Hiccup call my name, but I paid no heed. Comet was back by my side in an instant, releasing a happy trill. I reached out a hand, and she carefully tipped to the side, brushing it with a wingtip. I looked down, watching the wide ocean below grow closer. I reached out, fingers finding the neckstrap. I pulled myself back towards Comet. She went into a spin, but rather than spinning sideways, she entered a series of front flips. Her wings held out wide for balance, she turned over and over, finally pulling out of momentum and evening her flight pattern once again. I breathed heavily. The front flips always made me dizzy. We soared back up towards Hiccup.

"Wow. Nice flying." Hiccup commented, earning a happy coo from Comet.

"Not so bad yourself, cripple." I smiled, and he frowned at the nickname. "Kidding," I laughed. "You two fly amazingly well together. I can't believe that life-threatening injury has brought you two so close together in such a short amount of time. It's quite astonishing."

"Thanks Lucaria." He looked down at Toothless, who was still struggling to swallow his mouthful of fish. We flew straight for a few more seconds, and a question came to mind. I knew it was personal, and knew I probably shouldn't be so nosy, but I had to ask.

"Did you ever miss or think about Valka?"

The question caught him off guard, and he stammered a bit before pausing to really think about the question. "I often wondered what had happened to her. I was told she was stolen away, and when I was older, I was told she was eaten by dragons. And at the time, it seemed all too real of a possibility." He looked down, as if deep in thought. "Though I think I never truly believed she was dead. All those years, they told me she was gone, yet some part of me knew she had to be out there still. It just didn't understand why she hadn't returned to us-to my father and me. And as ashamed as I am to admit it-as I grew older, my mind stopped wondering, accepting her absence as a fact. But now, oh what a wonder it is to see her again! I can't believe it, I..." he paused, looking over at me. I must have had a solemn look on my face. "Are you okay?" He asked quietly, barely loud enough to be heard over the wind.

"Oh, I'm..." I was ready to say 'fine', ready to dismiss this growing feeling of pain and sorrow that was rising up inside of me. My heart was too broken, too tired, and I knew the only way to release the growing ache was to share it-finally-with someone other than Comet and Valka. I sighed. "No. I'm...I'm not okay. I'm incredibly happy that you and Valka are reunited, but...it reopens the wound that refuses to heal. My mother, my father...both lost. For good. I saw the fire burning on their shoulders, catching in their clothes...reflected in their eyes. The fear. The pain. I saw them die, Hiccup. And I could do nothing to save them. Nothing to help them. Nothing to protect them..." The tears streamed freely, I did not hold them back. The suffering I had kept close so long poured out, and I allowed it. "Of everyone who could have escaped, and survived, why did it have to be me? Why not my father, the strong, generous, benevolent chieftain of our clan? Why not my mother, the healer, who cared for every human and dragon upon that island? Why me?" I looked down, fists clenched around the neck strap, eyes shut tight. When I looked up, he was watching me with a expression that held as much sorrow as mine.

"Lucaria..." He seemed at a loss for words. What can you say to someone who has experienced pain like that? There is nothing to be said. But I found comfort in his presence alone, he need not speak.

"No need for words, Hiccup...thank you. I had kept that in for so long. Valka knew, and I hated to burden her with my own grief when she had so many other important things to do. But you...you comfort me in a way Valka, nor Comet, cannot. Perhaps it is because you are so close to my age, perhaps it is because you are...my...my new family..." Again I hesitated with my words. Acceptance was something, I realized, I had never worried about until I had lost everyone I knew. And now, when companionship was what I longed for most, I was fearful of being rejected or turned away to fend for myself.

"I will always be a brother to you, Lucaria." He smiled, reaching out a hand. I took it, squeezing it lightly. I allowed the joy to flood my entire being, lifting my heart and freeing my soul. Where the ashes of old flowers lay, new flowers grew, nurtured by the memory of the past generations. My old family remains only in my memories now, and there they shall stay, cherished and never forgotten. But there also a new seed started growing, a new chance, a new family, and with an enlightened heart, I embraced my new life with open arms.


End file.
